Police issue warning after ‘fake gun’ arrest

Ricky Charlesworth

Police have issued a warning regarding the danger of carrying firearms after a teenager was arrested in Belper.

Concerned members of the public called officers to report that there was a group of teenagers congregated in Hunter Road on Wednesday (July 22) and that one of them was carrying a gun.

Officers travelled to the scene, supported by a helicopter, and located the group.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Police said that all gun-related crime, be it real or imitation, is given the utmost importance: “Armed officers respond to every call from the public if a firearm has been seen.

“Most of these incidents turn out to be false alarms and many of them are caused by people who are playing with imitation weapons.

“It is an offence to have a gun, imitation gun or even a pellet gun in public.

“People who have these weapons in the street waste police time and upset and alarm members of the public.

“It can be difficult for specially-trained officers to distinguish between real and fake firearms when they attend incidents like this.

“If you have any type of gun in public, you put yourself at real risk.”

• An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis, questioned and later released on bail. A BB gun was recovered nearby the scene.

Anyone with information regarding the incident, which occurred at about 7.15pm on July 22, should call 101, quoting crime reference number 31022-15.